Traveling contact device for electric railways



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

M. D. LAW. TRAVELING CONTACT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC) RAILWAYS.

Patented Nov, 30,1897.

( No Model.) 2 Sheets-:Sheet 2.

. v M. 1). LAW

TRAVELING CONTACT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

13 594,403 A lP atented Nov. 30, 1897.

M6??? yd? 72 2,17

no" WASNINGTOK n c UNITE STATES PATENT OFFIC MYRON D. LAW, OF NEW YORK,N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE LOVE ELECTRIC TRACTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TRAVELING CONTACT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,406, dated November30, 1897.

Application filed July 8, 1896. Serial No. 598,371. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern: roads in which the conductors are located inBe it known that I, MYRON D. LAW, of underground slotted conduits Ipropose to New York city, in the county of New York employ in connectionwith a supporting-bar and State of New York, have invented cerwhichextends from the vehicle through the 5 tain new and useful Improvementsin Travslot of the conduit a yielding arm for carryeling Contact Devicesfor Electric Railways; ing the contact-piece, said arm consisting of andI do hereby declare that the followingis a single piece of spring metalbent into a coil afull,clear,andexactdescriptionthereof,refadjacent toits point of attachment to the erence being had to the accompanyingdrawsupporting-bar, said coil affording freedom 1o ings, and to theletters of reference marked of movement both vertically and laterally inthereon, which form a part of this specificathe free end of the arm.tion. The invention embraces also certain details This invention relatesto traveling contact of construction in devices of the characterredevices for electric railways, by which elecferred to, as willhereinafter fully appear. 15 tric connection may be maintained betweenIn the accompanying drawings, illustrating the motor on the car and anelectric conmy invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of ductorarranged parallel with the track-rails, the traveling contact device.Fig. 2 is a through which current is applied to the motor. View of thesame from beneath. Fig. 3 is a The invention consists in the mattersheredetail section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. 7o 20 inafter described,and pointed out in the ac- Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4 4of companying claims. a Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on Asone feature of improvement in travline 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detailsection, eling contact devices of the character detaken on line 6 6 ofFig. 1, through the carscribed I propose to employ in connection boncontact-piece. Fig. 7 is aview in crossz 5 with asmooth and continuousline conductor section of an electric-railway conduit, showa brush orcontact-piece comprising ablock ing a traveling contact device embodyingmy of carbon which travels in immediate coninvention therein. tact withthe conductor, and a yielding or As shown in said drawings, A indicatesa spring-actuated support for the carbon block supporting bar orstandard which is attached o constructed to hold the latter yieldinglyor to the vehicle and passes downwardly through with elastic pressure incontact with the conthe slot of the conduit to support the travelductor.I further propose to employ in coning contact devices therein. To thelower nection with such carbon block and its yieldend of said bar isattached a frame B, on ing support a socket for the block provided whichthe several parts of the two upwardly- 5 with adjusting devices by whichthe block pressing contact devices are mounted, the may be advanced-inthe socket as it is worn latter being in this instance shown duplex oraway by frictional contact with the conducdouble, so as to adapt themfor use in roads tor, and, in cases in which the line conductor havingboth a supply and return conductor hasthe form of a wire or is so shapedas to for the current. Said frame Ipreferto make 4o afford a narrowbearing-surface for contact of insulating material of proper strengthand with the block, as in the case of a flat conhardness, vulcanizedfiber or vulcanite being ductor-strip, the edge of which is engaged thematerial which I consider best adapted with the carbon, I propose tomake the socket for the purpose. Said frame B is herein with twoprojecting ears or lugs adapted to shown as consisting of two parallellongitu- 5 45 project beyond the bearing-face of the cardinally-arrangedbars B B, Figs. 2, 4, and

bon block at opposite sides thereof, so as to 5, secured at oppositesides of the supportform guide-flanges to hold the carbon from ing-bar Aand connected at their ends by slipping sidewise out of engagement withthe means of filling-pieces B B and bolts b b, conductor. which passthrough the bars and filling-pieces ICO 50 As a further improvement intraveling conin the manner shown. The wires or contact devicesapplicable more particularly to ductors a a, which lead from the motoron the car to the contact devices, pass through longitudinal passages orchannels in the bar A and are led from the lower end of said bar throughthe space between the frame-bars B B to metal blocks or plates 0 C,which are secured to the outer faces of the frame, one at each side ofthe latter. Other metal plates D D are also secured to the outer facesof the frame conveniently by means of the bolts 1) Z), and the saidplates C and D at each side of the frame are connected by means of afuse-strip 0, attached at its ends to the said plates by means of screws0 (Z.

E E indicate two spring-arms adapted to support the two contact-piecesF, which run in contact with the line conductors. Said arms are locatedat opposite sides of the frame A and atopposite ends of the same, thearms being attached to the ends of the frame and extending toward themiddle thereof, so that the contact pieces or brushes are adapted toswing in vertical planes at opposite sides of the frame between the endsthereof. Both of said arms and the parts connected therewith are alike,and a description of one will therefore serve for both.

To now describe in detail the construction of one of said arms E and itsrelated parts, said arm consists of a single piece of spring wire orrod, which is rigidly secured at one end to the frame and which carriesthe contact-piece at its free end. Said rod is bent to form a coil 0,located adjacent to its end which is attached to the frame B. The endsof the rod or wire extend in the same direction from the coil c and aresubstantially par allel with each other, the coil being located at theside of the frame with its central axis horizontal and transverse to theframe-bars. The shorter end 6 of the arm is secured to the outer sideface of the frame-bar B, near the end of the same, while the longer end,which forms the arm E, extends in a vertical plane generally parallelwith the side face of the frame, toward the center thereof. By thislocation of the coil the free end of the arm E is adapted to move orswing in a vertical plane and is also afforded a considerable degree oflateral or sidewise movement.

As a means of adjustably attaching the spring-arm to the frame the end 6of the arm is bent backwardly on itself, so as to form a flat loop 6Figs. 1, i, and 5, which rests flat against the outer side face of theframe-bar 3. The said end 6 of the arm is secured to the bar by means oftwo bolts, one of which, the bolt 1), hereinbefore mentioned, passesthrough the part of the loop 6 nearest the coil, and the other of which,I), Fig. 5, passes through the outer part of the loop and through acurved or segmental slot b Figs. 3 and 5, in the frame-bar B, said slotbeing arranged concentrically with respect to the bolt Z), so that theangular position in which the arm E is secured to the frame may beadjusted, as desired, by shifting the bolt b toward one end or the otherof said slot 12 To afford a better and stronger attachment of the arm ato the frame-bar B, a plate G is placed outside or over the said loop bbetween the heads of the securing-bolts I) Z) and said loop. Said plateG is provided with two bolt-holes g g and with an inwardly-turned end gFig. 5, which engages the bent or rounded extremity of said loop 6 Saidplate G not only serves to distribute the pressure of the bolts over theentire length of the loop 6 and to thereby more securely hold or clampthe arm E in place, but its bent end by engagement with the extremity ofthe arm, positively holds the same from shifting or moving inwardly onthe frame, any movement of the arm in the opposite direction oroutwardly being positively prevented by the engagement of the bolt Z)with the inner end of the loop 6 Now referring to the construction ofthe brushes or contact-pieces carried on the ends of the arms E E, thesame are constructed as follows: H, Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 7, indicates ametal carbon holder or socket, the same consisting of a cast-metal shellopen at its top and provided with integral bottom, side, and end walls.The holder His shown as connected with the spring supporting-arm E bymeans of an extension or shank II, extending horizontally at the end ofthe holder nearest the arm, to which shank the arm is seen red. As ameans of securing the arm to the shank the latter is provided with upperand lower flanges h h, forming a socket or recess at one side of theshank, and the free end of the arm E is bent backwardly on itself toform a loop 6 which is adapted to fit closely within the said recess,between the top and bottom flanges h h thereof. Said loop is secured tothe shank by means of two holding-bolts 71, h, inserted through the loopa and the shank, the bolt nearest the body of the holder engaging theend portion of the loop, which end portion of the loop is confinedbetween said bolt and the inner end of the recess of the shank, so as toprevent possibility of any endwise movement of the loop on the shank.\Vithin the carbon holder H is located a block I of hard carbon, saidblock fitting within the holder, and being made of uniform size or withparallel side and end surfaces, so that it may slide or be moved up ordown in the holder. As shown in the drawings, the recess of the holderis rectan gular in shape and its side walls are much longer than its endwalls. Beneath the block is placed a follower J, consisting of a flatplate of metal, and two adjusting-screws J J are inserted through thebottom of the holder and bear against the said follower. Saidadjusting-screws are employed to advance the follower and to therebypush the carbon block upwardly or outwardly, when necessary, by reasonof the wearing away of its upper surface, which is in contact with theconductor. J am-nuts j, placed upon the set-screws J, serve to hold saidset-screws from turning after adjustment thereof. A leaf-spring] issecured to one of the walls of the holder in such manner as to act uponone side or end of the carbon block and serves to hold the same fromaccidentaldisplacement or dislodgment from the holder. For the purposeof insuring engagement of the contact device with the conductor,notwithstanding the relative lateral movement of the parts that mayoccur in passing around curves or by reason of the lateral movement orswinging of the supporting-bar, the holder H is provided with lateralguide-flanges H conveniently formed by upward extensions of the sidewalls of the holder.

For limiting the upward movement of the free end of the arm E and thebrush or contact device thereon any suitable means may be employed, thatherein shown consisting of a chain K, attached at one end to a lug 77.cast on the rear surface of the shank H of the carbon-holder, and at itsopposite or lower end to the frame-piece B by means of a screw is.

The traveling contact device embracing two springarms and brushesthereon, as above described, is one adapted to act upon twocontact-strips or conductors extending longitudinally of the conduit inthe upper part thereof, such conductors beingindicated at L L in Fig. 7,which shows the contact device in end view in connection with theadjacent parts of a conduit. A traveling contact device embracing thesame features of construction may, however, be applied to theconductors, against which the contact-pieces act with lateral or outwardpressure instead of upwardly, and the contact device shown in theaccompanying drawings isprovided with a separate or additional set ofspringarms M M, which carry brushes or contactpieces and are secured tothe lower part of the frame B in such manner as to swing or movelaterally in a horizontal plane below said frame, as clearly shown inFig. 1 and also in Fig. 7. A traveling contact device thus equipped withtwo sets of spring-arms and contact-pieces may be employed with greatadvantage in cases where it is desired to run a car over two lineshaving conduits which are differently equipped or provided withdifferently-arranged conductorsas, for instance, in one part of a line ashallow conduit may be used having conducting-strips L L in its upperpart, such as are shown in Fig. 7, while another part or a section ofthe road may have a conduit provided with conductors such as are shownat L 'L in Fig. 7, the same being arranged at a lower level and havingvertical contact-faces, against which the contact-pieces or brushes areadapted to rest or bear. Obviously a contact device made as describedmay pass from one set to another of conductors arranged as describedwithout requiring any adjustmentor change of the parts or any attentionon the part of the person operating the car, while at the same time, byreason of the'compact form of the duplex contact device as a whole, itoccupies little vertical space in the conduit, and the latter need notbe unduly or exceptionally deep or large to permit its passage throughthe same.

Referring more in detail to the means shown for attaching such auxiliaryarms M M to the frame 13, said arms are attached to the ends of theframe and extend inwardly or toward the center'thereof. A support foreach arm is formed by means of a flat horizontally-arranged plate N,which is secured to the bottom surface of the frame-bars B, Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, and 5, and projects beyond the end of said bars, said plate beingconveniently secured to the frame by means of two vertical bolts 12 n,which pass through the space. between the frame-bars and engage at theirupper ends a flat top plate N, which rests upon the upper edges of thebars and extends between the same, as clearly seen in Fig. 4. The saidspring-arm M is provided with a coil m and with a shorter arm m, whichis bent to form a loop m which is secured to the plate N by means ofbolts 91 07. and a bent-plate O in the same manner as before describedin connection with the main arm E. To afford angular adjustment of thearm M, said bolt of passes through a curved slot n in the plate N, asclearly seen in Fig. 5. Said arm M is connected electrically with thewires a a by means of a metal strip D, which is attached at one end tothe block D by a screw 01 and at its opposite end is engaged with andconfined by the upper end of the bolt n. To the outer end of the arm Mis attached a carbonholder P, carrying a carbon block Q and attached tothe arm M by means of a shank P, having flangesp p and bolts p'p whichpass through a loop m formed by bending the extremity of the said arm M.A chain R, attached to the carbon-holder and to the bottom of the frame,serves to limit the outward movement of the free end of the arm M in thesame manner as before described. The carbon-holder P is like that beforedescribed, with the exception that the contact devices are adapted inthis instance to act against a conductor-strip having a flat verticalface, and guide-flanges on the carbon-holder are therefore omitted, thecarbon block being adapted to project from the open end of the holder,so as to bear upon the vertical flat contact-face of the conductor, asclearly seen in Fig. '2.

The traveling contact device constructed generally as hereindescribed-namely, with horizontally-extending frame-pieces and withmovable contact-pieces or brushes supported by spring-arms consisting ofwire rods provided with coils and constructed and arranged in the mannershownhas the general advantage of occupying a very narrow spacevertically in the conduit, while at the same time of having no pivotaljoints that are liable to become worn or get out of order. Moreover, thespring-arms, having integral coils between their ends, afford allnecessary movement in the contact-pieces both vertically and laterally.These general features of construction may obviouslybe employed inconnection with any suitable form of brush or contact-piece forengagement with the conductor, and as far as such features are concerneda pulley or trolley may be employed to run in contact with the conductoras well as the carbon-block contact device herein described.

The employment in connection with a line conductor or conducting-stripand a traveling contact device provided with a yielding or springsupport for the contact-pieces or brush of a contact-piece or brushconsisting of a carbon block having adjustable connection with itsspring-support is found to produce superior and improved results ascompared with trolley-wheels or metal contactpieces, such as have beencommonly heretofore used for the same purpose. It is found that thecarbon blocks, when made of suitably-hard carbon, will become worn awayby the friction of the conductor practically no faster than metal, whileat the same time they act to transmit the electric current in a bettermanner.

By providing means for the adjustment of the block with respect to thespring-support by which it is held in contact with conductor the supportmay be maintained at all times in the same position with respect to theconductor and will therefore act with an equal or uniform pressurethereon, notwithstanding the wearing away or shortening of the block.Obviously in case the block were worn away to a considerable extentwithout coinpensatingadjustment in the construction shown the springsupporting-arm would rise and would act with less pressure or tension onthe conductor than when the block is of full length, and the same resultwould follow in the use of any kind of a spring or yielding support forthe carbon block. Byadjusting the block upwardly as it wears away,however, the arm may be caused to remain at practically the same angleand its coiled spring under the same tension, so as to act with the sameforce or power in pressing the carbon block against the conductor.

The construction of a contact-piece embracing a socket or holdercontaining a carbon block which is exposed at the opening of the holderand which may be advanced from the holder as it is worn away by means ofsuitable adjusting devices, acting to advance the block in the socket,constitutes in itself an important and novel improvement, it being foundthat such construction affords the greatest facility of adjustment andrenewal and therefore great economy in use.

I claim as my invention 1. A traveling contact device for conduitelectric roads, comprising a supporting-bar,

a frame of insulating material carried by the same, a contact-piece anda spring-arm for supporting the contact-piece, comprising a single pieceof spring metal bent into a coil between its ends, and attached at oneend to the frame, and carrying the contact-piece at its opposite end,substantially as described.

2. A traveling contact device for conduit electric roads, comprising asupporting-bar, a frame of insulating material attached to said bar, acontact-piece, and a spring-arm for supporting the contact-piece,comprising a spring-metal rod or wire bent to form a coil with its endsextending at the same side of the coil in substantially parallelrelation, and attached at one of its ends to the supportingframe andcarrying the contact-piece at its opposite end, substantially asdescribed.

A traveling contact device comprising a spring-arm, consisting of a wirebent to form a coil, and having its end which is attached to the framebent on itself to form a loop, and two securing-bolts passing throughsaid loop; said frame having a segment-slot for one of said bolts toafford adjustment of the angle of the arm, substantially as described.

4. A traveling contact device comprising a spring-arm consisting of asingle piece of wire bent to form a coil and having its arm which isattached to the frame bent on itself to form a loop, two securing-boltspassing through said loop, and a plate applied between the bolt-headsand the arm and provided with an inwardly-bent end which engages thebent end of the arm, substantially as described.

5. A traveling contact device comprising a spring-arm, consisting of asingle piece of wire, which is bent back on itself at its free end toform a loop, of a contact-piece provided with a shank which is recessedto receive the bent end of the arm, and bolts inserted through thelooped end of the arm and said shank, substantially as described.

6. A traveling contact device for acting on either one of two conductorslocated one below the other, and one of which is adapted for upward andthe other for lateral pressure, comprising a supporting-bar, a frameconsisting of horizontal, longitudinally-arranged bars, a spring-armattached to the side of the frame and moving in a vertical plane, and asecond spring-arm attached to the bottom of the frame and movable in ahorizontal plane, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, this 2d day of July, A. D.1896.

MYRON D. LAXV.

\Vitnesses:

WM. CROOKER DUXBURY, F. M. HARRINGTON.

